{|align=right
|{{Infobox_Monarch | name =Alfonso XII of Spain
| title =King of Spain
| image =[[Image:Alfonso XII.png|200px]]
| caption =
| reign =[[December 29]], [[1874]] – [[November 25]], [[1885]]
| coronation =
| predecessor =
| successor =[[Alfonso XIII of Spain|Alfonso XIII]]
| suc-type =
| heir =
| consort =[[Mercedes of Orléans]] <br> [[Maria Christina of Austria]]
| issue =[[Mercedes, Princess of Asturias|Mercedes]] <br /> [[Infanta Maria Teresa of Spain|Maria Teresa]] <br /> [[Alfonso XIII of Spain|Alfonso XIII]]
| royal house =[[House of Bourbon]]
| royal anthem =
| father =[[Francis of Spain]]
| mother =[[Isabella II of Spain]]
| date of birth ={{birth date|1857|11|28|mf=y}}
| place of birth =
| date of death ={{death date and age|1885|11|25|1857|11|28|mf=y}}
| place of death =
| buried =
|}}
|-
|{{House of Bourbon, before King Juan Carlos (Coat of arms Change)}}
|}
'''Alfonso XII''' ([[November 28]], [[1857]]–[[November 25]], [[1885]]) was king of [[Spain]], reigning from 1875 to 1885, after a ''[[coup d'état]]'' restored the monarchy and ended the ephemeral [[First Spanish Republic]].
Alfonso was the son of [[Isabella II of Spain]]. His biological paternity is uncertain, though his legal paternity is not: his mother was married to her (presumed homosexual) cousin [[Francis of Spain|Francis of Assisi de Borbon]], King Consort of Spain, at the time of Alfonso's conception and birth. Some theories suggest that Alfonso's biological father might have been either [[Enrique Puigmoltó y Mayans]], captain of the Royal Guard, or [[Francisco Serrano y Domínguez, Duke de la Torre|General Francisco Serrano]].
When Queen Isabella and her husband were forced to leave Spain by the [[Revolution of 1868]], Alfonso accompanied them to [[Paris]]. From there, he was sent to the [[Theresianum]] at [[Vienna]] to continue his studies. On [[June 25]], [[1870]], he was recalled to Paris, where his mother abdicated in his favour, in the presence of a number of Spanish nobles who had tied their fortunes to that of the exiled queen. He assumed the title of Alfonso XII, for although no King of united Spain had borne the name "Alfonso XI", the Spanish monarchy was regarded as continuous with the more ancient monarchy represented by the eleven kings of [[Kingdom of León|León]] and [[Kingdom of Castile|Castile]], also named [[Alfonso]].
Shortly afterwards, Alfonso proceeded to the [[Royal Military Academy Sandhurst]] in the [[United Kingdom]] in order to continue his military studies. While there, he issued, on [[December 1]], [[1874]], in reply to a birthday greeting from his followers, a manifesto proclaiming himself the sole representative of the Spanish monarchy. At the end of that year, when [[Marshal Serrano]] left [[Madrid]] to take command of the northern army in the [[Carlist War]], Brigadier [[Arsenio Martínez Campos|Martinez Campos]], who had long been working more or less openly for the king, led some battalions of the central army to [[Sagunto]], rallied to his own flag the troops sent against him, and entered [[Valencia (city in Spain)|Valencia]] in the king's name. Thereupon the president of the council resigned, and his power was transferred to the king's plenipotentiary and adviser, [[Canovas del Castillo]]. Within a few days, the king arrived at Madrid, passing through [[Barcelona]] and Valencia and was acclaimed everywhere (1875). In 1876, a vigorous campaign against the [[Carlists]], in which the young king took part, resulted in the defeat of [[Carlos, Duke of Madrid|Don Carlos]] and the Duke's abandonment of the struggle.
On [[January 23]], [[1878]], Alfonso married his cousin, Princess [[Mercedes of Orléans|Maria de las Mercedes]], daughter of [[Antoine, Duke of Montpensier]], but she died within six months of the marriage. Towards the end of the same year, a young workman of [[Tarragona]], [[Juan Oliva Moncasi]], fired at the king in Madrid.
*[[Media:AlfonsoDoce.ogg|Download recording]] - The folk song "¿Dónde vas, el caballero?" was adapted as "¿Dónde vas, Alfonso Doce?" with lyrics reflecting the story of tragic love between king and queen. This is a version from Minorca preserved at the Library of Congress' ''Florida Folklife from the WPA Collections''; performed by Maria Hugas de Aceval on [[September 26]], [[1939]] in [[St. Augustine, Florida]].
On [[November 29]], [[1879]], Alfonso married a much more distant relative, the Archduchess [[Maria Christina of Austria|Archduchess Maria Christina of Austria]], daughter of [[Karl Ferdinand, Archduke of Austria|Archduke Karl Ferdinand of Austria]] and of his wife [[Archduchess Elisabeth Franziska of Austria|Archduchess Elisabeth of Austria]]. During the honeymoon, a pastrycook named Otero fired at the young sovereigns as they were driving in Madrid.
The children of this marriage were:
* [[Mercedes, Princess of Asturias|Maria de las Mercedes]], Princess of Asturias, ([[September 11]], [[1880]] – [[October 17]], [[1904]]), married on [[February 14]], [[1901]] to Prince Carlos of Bourbon, and titular heiress from the death of her father until the posthumous birth of her brother
* [[Maria Teresa of Spain|Maria Teresa]], ([[November 12]], [[1882]] – [[September 23]], [[1912]]), married to Prince Ferdinand of Bavaria on [[January 12]], [[1906]]
* [[Alfonso XIII of Spain|Alfonso XIII]] ([[May 17]], [[1886]] -- [[February 28]], [[1941]]). Born posthumously, this son was king from the moment of his birth and thus never held any other Spanish titles from the crown, such as Infante or [[Prince of Asturias]]. He married [[Princess Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg]], called "Ena," a carrier of [[hemophilia]], and two of their sons died young from the disease. A third was a deaf-mute as a result of a childhood illness. A fourth was [[Juan de Borbón, Count of Barcelona|the father of]] [[Juan Carlos I of Spain|the current King of Spain]].
In 1881, the king refused to sanction a law by which the ministers were to remain in office for a fixed term of eighteen months. Upon the consequent resignation of Canovas del Castillo, he summoned [[Práxedes Mateo Sagasta]], the Liberal leader, to form a new cabinet.
[[Image:Monument-to-Alfonso-XII.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Monument to Alfonso XII in [[Parque del Retiro]], [[Madrid]].]]
In November of 1885, Alfonso died, just short of his 28th birthday, of [[tuberculosis]].
Coming to the throne at such an early age, Alfonso had served no apprenticeship in the art of ruling, but he possessed great natural tact and a sound judgment ripened by the trials of exile. Benevolent and sympathetic in disposition, he won the affection of his people by fearlessly visiting districts ravaged by cholera or devastated by [[earthquake]] in 1885. His capacity for dealing with men was considerable, and he never allowed himself to become the instrument of any particular party. During his short reign, peace was established both at home and abroad, finances were well regulated, and the various administrative services were placed on a basis that afterwards enabled [[Spain]] to pass through the disastrous [[Spanish-American War|war with the]] [[United States]] without the threat of a revolution.
==References==
*{{1911}}
==Ancestry==
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<div style="background: #ccddcc; text-align: center; border: 1px solid #667766" class="NavHead">'''Ancestors of Alfonso XII of Spain'''
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|1= 1. '''Alfonso XII'''
|2= 2. [[Francis of Spain]] (King consort)
|3= 3. [[Isabella II of Spain|Queen Isabella II of Spain]]
|4= 4. [[Infante Francisco de Paula of Spain]]
|5= 5. [[Princess Luisa Carlotta of the Two Sicilies]]
|6= 6. [[Ferdinand VII of Spain|King Ferdinand VII of Spain]]
|7= 7. [[Maria Christina of the Two Sicilies|Princess Maria Christina of the Two Sicilies]]
|8= 8. [[Charles IV of Spain|King Charles IV of Spain]]
|9= 9. [[Maria Luisa of Parma|Princess Maria Luisa of Parma]]
|10= 10. [[Francis I of the Two Sicilies|King Francis I of the Two Sicilies]]
|11= 11. [[Maria Isabella of Spain|Infanta Maria Isabella of Spain]]
|12= 12. = 8. [[Charles IV of Spain|King Charles IV of Spain]]
|13= 13. = 9. [[Maria Luisa of Parma|Princess Maria Luisa of Parma]]
|14= 14. = 10. [[Francis I of the Two Sicilies|King Francis I of the Two Sicilies]]
|15= 15. = 11. [[Maria Isabella of Spain|Infanta Maria Isabella of Spain]]
|16= 16. [[Charles III of Spain|King Charles III of Spain]]
|17= 17. [[Maria Amalia of Saxony|Duchess Maria Amalia of Saxony]]
|18= 18. [[Philip, Duke of Parma]]
|19= 19. [[Princess Louise-Élisabeth of France]]
|20= 20. [[Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies|King Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies]]
|21= 21. [[Marie Caroline of Austria|Archduchess Marie Caroline of Austria]]
|22= 22. = 8. [[Charles IV of Spain|King Charles IV of Spain]]
|23= 23. = 9. [[Maria Luisa of Parma|Princess Maria Luisa of Parma]]
|24= 24. = 16. [[Charles III of Spain|King Charles III of Spain]]
|25= 25. = 17. [[Maria Amalia of Saxony|Duchess Maria Amalia of Saxony]]
|26= 26. = 18. [[Philip, Duke of Parma]]
|27= 27. = 19. [[Princess Louise-Élisabeth of France]]
|28= 28. = 20. [[Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies|King Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies]]
|29= 29. = 21. [[Marie Caroline of Austria|Archduchess Marie Caroline of Austria]]
|30= 30. = 8. [[Charles IV of Spain|King Charles IV of Spain]]
|31= 31. = 9. [[Maria Luisa of Parma|Princess Maria Luisa of Parma]]
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{{s-hou|[[House of Bourbon]]|28 November|1857|25 November|1885|[[Capetian dynasty]]}}
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|-
{{s-non|reason=[[First Spanish Republic|First Republic]]<br/>'''''<small>Title last held by<br/>[[Amadeo I of Spain|Amadeus I]]</small>''}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[List of Spanish monarchs|King of Spain]]|years=[[1875]]–[[1885]]}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Alfonso XIII of Spain|Alfonso XIII]]}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=[[Isabel of Spain, Princess of Asturias|Princess Isabel]]<br/>'''''First Time''}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Prince of Asturias]]|years=1857-1868}}
{{s-vac|next=[[Isabel of Spain, Princess of Asturias|Princess Isabel]]<br/>'''''<small>second time</small>''}}
{{end box}}
{{Monarchs of Spain}}
[[Category:Spanish monarchs]]
[[Category:House of Bourbon]]
[[Category:Princes of Asturias]]
[[Category:Roman Catholic monarchs]]
[[Category:Knights of the Golden Fleece]]
[[Category:Knights of the Garter]]
[[Category:Deaths by tuberculosis]]
[[Category:Sandhurst graduates]]
[[Category:1857 births|Alfonso XII of Spain]]
[[Category:1885 deaths|Alfonso XII of Spain]]
[[ca:Alfons XII d'Espanya]]
[[de:Alfons XII. (Spanien)]]
[[el:Αλφόνσος ΙΒ' της Ισπανίας]]
[[es:Alfonso XII de España]]
[[eo:Alfonso la 12-a (Hispanio)]]
[[eu:Alfontso XII.a]]
[[fr:Alphonse XII d'Espagne]]
[[gl:Afonso XII]]
[[hr:Alfons XII.]]
[[it:Alfonso XII di Spagna]]
[[he:אלפונסו השנים עשר, מלך ספרד]]
[[la:Alphonsus XII (rex Hispaniae)]]
[[lv:Alfonso XII]]
[[nl:Alfons XII van Spanje]]
[[ja:アルフォンソ12世 (スペイン王)]]
[[oc:Anfós XII d'Espanha]]
[[pl:Alfons XII Burbon]]
[[pt:Afonso XII de Espanha]]
[[ro:Alfonso al XII-lea al Spaniei]]
[[ru:Альфонс XII]]
[[fi:Alfonso XII]]
[[sv:Alfons XII av Spanien]]
[[zh:阿方索十二世]]